Slaying of the Light
by maliicious
Summary: This is my fanfic on Mheetu, Nala's kidbrother who I'd like to believe was really born during Scar's reign, and is not her twin. Yes, people he did exist in concept art, but was taken out early in production.
1. Remember

This fanfiction is dedicated to the sadly cut-out character of our beloved film, Mheetu (Or Mee-too – whichever. ) I found his concept art to be adorable, and the idea of Nala not being an only cub was fascinating. Mheetu didn't go a long with the storyline, however, so it's understood why he was deleted.

Still, he was pretty cute.

Mheetu is copyrighted to the Disney family. As well as any other TLK character you may see linger about in here.

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Night had fallen on to the Pridelands, signifying another gloomy day come to an end. The crescent moon shone eerily upon the Serengeti, hiding the devastating conditions they were succumbing to. Already a year had been reached since the Prince and King's death, and the reign of a Tyrant began. Several cackles from Scar's canine henchmen filled the air, while in the darkness a Pride of hopes dwindled waited for their next batch of prey to come about ... if there were any.

Claws tickled the rough terrain, as the adolescent lioness sat quietly and sighed; tail flickering in irritation. It was just another night of practice for her ... hunting for a hunger that never ceased. She had rather just spend her days and nights in the cave sulking over her life lost, but her mother wouldn't allow it. Instead, she was dragged along unsuccessful hunts and had to watch the King and his council lash out on her pride mates and herself.

Releasing a defeated sigh, she just tilted her head upwards to gaze upon the moon that so oddly captivated her.

"Simba ..."

The memories of tackling, and ostrich riding, and water-skidding ... all raced back to her brain. How could he be so selfishly taken away from her? This was the cub whom she was to marry, no matter how revolting at the time it may had seem ... this was the cub, no – this was the future king who saved her life the day they deliberately wandered into the Elephant Graveyard; her best friend, with more bravery than she could ever contain. The last look she had of Simba ... the night his father had supposedly scolded him, reduced her to tears.

"I should have gone back. Stupid Zazu ..."

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Nala had forgotten she was around others, and it was Sarafina who had heard her daughter's words. Unexpectedly, she came from behind Nala and nuzzled her cheek softly. Unstirred, Nala closed her eyes and sighed once more. _What was the use of living if I were meant to be this miserable_, she thought.

"Nala, do not put a burden on yourself..." Pausing herself, she turned to see her childhood companion, Sarabi, shuffling through the grass with several other pride mates ... she knew she was taking the blow harder than anyone else, even after all the time that had passed; and that was something Sarafina admired the most about her. Sarabi still had a certain stride that kept everyone else going.

"Mom, it wasn't fair, and you know it." The young lioness darted her gaze back towards her mother and squinted her eyes painfully. Sarafina just stared into her daughter's identical aquamarine eyes in silence, letting her thoughts collect. She remembered Nala's face the night Scar had given them news of the tragedy. Never again would she want to bare witness to her daughter's pain like that. So many tears she could not stop from falling ...

"It wasn't. No deaths of good souls are. But let us not dwell on the past ... come, we have to hurry – Scar is waiting."

Scar ... Ever since cubhood, Nala had been frightened of him. There was something about his eyes that caused an uneasiness in her stomach. And although in the first few weeks of the tragedy, he had been almost a consoling father figure, being in his presence then and now still sent a shiver down the adolescent's spine. She tried to stay as far away from the King as she could ... his eye-contact was always a bit more seductive these days.

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A paw was then suddenly wrapped around the shoulder-blade of Nala at that moment, which had startled her and nearly caused the lioness to jump out of her fur. A chuckle followed pursuit.

"Relax, Nala. It's only me. Sarabi's calling off the hunt due to lack of participation from our counterparts; dinner."

Nala sighed in relief once she noticed who it was.

"Kula, don't do that!" She smirked, and rose on all fours again to get ready to head back to Priderock. Chuckling, Sarafina left the two to be alone, finding herself beside Sarabi in a few moments leading the defeated Pride members back with hungry stomachs and weary hearts.

"Sorry, Nal'. I just saw you over here in some sort of daze, so I figured I'd come and snap you back to reality."

"Yeah, sure ... snap me back to **this**. This wasteland of a home ..."

The two sighed in unison, Kula completely agreeing that the Pridelands were on a steady path to depression ... if not already there. There was an awkward silence between the best friends, before Nala spoke again.

"So there's no food anywhere?"

Kula shook her head and quickly looked behind her. "Nope, there wasn't a creature stirring out there tonight. I wouldn't want to stay here either, to tell you the truth ..."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. All I wish is to run away ... end this nightmare, you know?"

The dark-toned lioness nodded her head in agreement, before Nala went on.

"And I know how you and your appetite are." Nala let out a snicker before nudging into Kula's shoulder.

"Aw jeez, don't even remind me on how hungry I can get." At that moment, the growling of a starved belly swallowed up in their ears and both let out wholehearted laughs. "Thanks, Nala."

She couldn't contain herself. Nala was in stitches ... the only time she ever truly smiled around here was when Kula was around. She was always doing something foolish to make the lioness feel an ounce of happiness again.

Then a thought struck Nala ... a need to ask a question she'd refrain from doing so in the past.

"No word about Chumvi?"

Kula sighed and shook her head softly. It'd been a few months since Chumvi's banishment. Scar wouldn't take any males under Mufasa's reign in his Pride ... he wanted his own host of little Scars. For he was the King ... and he wanted no challenge from any lion; be it Rogue or Pridelander. If not for Kula, Chumvi'd be just another corpse to be feasted on by the Hyenas that Scar threatened him with had he not left the lands. He was always so arrogant.

"I'm sure he's fine, Kula."

"Yeah ... he is, I hope. Maybe he found a great Pride, you know?"

"M'hm ..."

Both didn't want to face the horrible reality that he may have not survived out there alone, especially in the conditions the Pridelands were in now.

As they neared the base of Priderock, Kula perked up and turned to Nala.

"Your mother, she's expecting right? I mean, duh, she is – but how soon is she ... you know, having it?"

Teenagers could never get their words out right.

Nala gleamed and smiled softly; thinking about the cub Sarafina was carrying. Sarafina refused to tell Nala who the father was, but none the less she was excited for the cub that was to be.

"No idea, but it should be any day now! I'm so excited, Kula ... a little brother or sister."

Kula smiled softly as the two climbed up their way towards the cave. They could already hear Scar blaring at the other lionesses about how they were not looking hard enough for food. Exchanging looks, the two decided to camp-out for the night and sleep a top the promontory of their home. They figured it was too much of a ruckus inside to do anything opposite.

Nala closed in snuggly against her best friend, the warmth of their two bodies together giving her peace at mind that they wouldn't freeze at night while they slept. Kula gently rubbed Nala's cheek as they prepared to sleep beneath the stars.

"Don't worry, Nal'. It's all just a bad dream."

"I know ... I really miss Simba, Kula."

Kula nodded. "And I really miss Chumvi. We've both suffered losses, but you know what? We still got each other. I mean, sheesh – you're the closest thing I've ever had to a sister."

Nala smiled in agreement. Kula was always there for her, especially after Simba's death.

Kula continued. "And now with a new brother or sister on the way, there's no telling what things we can order the little runt to do!" The lioness cackled quietly, so not to awaken any Hyenas around.

"Quiet, Kula. My sibling is not going to be bossed around ... not at first, at least." She too snickered at her comment. "Enough of that ... lets get some shuteye."

The two then rested their heads a top their forepaws before drifting off to sleep ... before Kula awoke one more time.

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"Hey, Nala?"

"What?"

"Are you _sure_ you never had a thing for Ni when we were cubs?"


	2. A Light in the Grey

"Oh Sarafina, he's gorgeous ..."

The ooh's and ah's were flooding the cave as the Pridelanders fell in love with the cream-colored cub that Sarafina had recently brought into the world just mere hours ago. Worn out from her labor, she accepted the compliments on her son and kindly dismissed the lionesses from the den. She was too exhausted to reply to each and every flattering remark her son received.

She beckoned Nala to stay however.

Peering down on to her mother's paws, the lioness couldn't help but stare at how insanely handsome her newborn brother was. He resembled both the females, yet had these emerald eyes that struck a chord in her heart; like she had seen those exact same eyes before countless times ... she dismissed this thought, however.

"Mom, he's so cute ... Kula and I were talking about his arrival a few days ago, too. So small ..." Bending down to reach eye level with the cub, she nuzzled him softly as he drifted off to sleep. A feeling of love and sibling-hood overwhelmed her ... who knew something with no reason at that point, could make an impact so large.

"Mm ... my son. We've been waiting for you." Sarafina whispered softly as she rested her head beside her paws, the cub nice and snug inside and pressed gently against her chest. It'd been so long since she last got to baby her daughter, so to have the feeling of motherhood again and being the prime protector in her child's life, brought her some sanity back from the grave.

Nala stared at her mother for a moment. She seemed so lost in time with her brother ... yet there were no bits of jealousy – more so relief that her mother was now a complete soul.

"What's his name, mom?"

Sarafina closed her eyes and wrinkled her brow slightly as she contemplated on a suitable name for the cub. Should she name him after either the late Prince or King? Or possibly one of her ancestors from long ago ... ideas swarmed her head, until she broke the silence by chuckling to herself and smiling.

Nala was dumbfounded. "Well? What is it that you have that grin on?"

"Mheetu." The named rolled off Sarafina's tongue as if it were sacred within itself. So softly said, with love in each corner of the name.

Tilting her head to the side, she gazed back towards her brother and raised her brow slightly. "Mheetu ... it fits him. Good name, mom."

"Thank you ... Nala, Why don't you go see if there's anything out there worth hunting, with Kula? I need my rest, as well as your brother."

With a simple nod, Nala abided her mother's favor.

"Oh, Nala ... if those Hyenas give you any trouble, don't be afraid to get a little hostile. It's what you have to do at this time to still get respect as the top of the food chain." She let off a little snicker as she went back to adoring her son. Nala gave a single salute and raced off and down Pride Rock, Kula giving chase not far behind.

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As Sarafina was left alone in the cave, a shadowy figure lurked in from the outside; heading slowly over towards Sarafina and her resting offspring. Sensing the presence of another, she quickly opened her eyes and tightly snuggled Mheetu in case of any threats.

"As you were, Sarafina. I was just taking in the sight of my son."

Why, out of all lions and Kings to be in her presence, did it have to be Scar? Inside, Sarafina quivered at the fact she had birthed the tyrant's son, and a possible heir to the throne.

"Come now, Sara' ... let me see him. I _promise _I won't hurt him. How would I look if I took tradition to its extreme and killed my own son?" ... Scar seemed less conniving than usual, and this puzzled Sarafina deeply. However, who was she to deny Scar the right of seeing her son? Prying open her paws, she let the King glance down to see what the two had helped reproduce.

"Ah, he's glorious. A little small ... but he'll grow. Does he have a name, dear?"

"Please try to refrain from calling me that, Scar," Sarafina growled slightly through clenched teeth.

"Oh bother, you always get so offended when I call you that. Now, a name?"

With a sigh, she peered down to the cub and smirked. "Mheetu."

Scar cringed a tad ... _Mheetu ... sounds strangely similar to grandfather's name ... Mohatu ... Mheetu ... MUFASA! _Scar had literally driven himself mad over the memory of his deceased brother. Anything triggered it off these days.

"Mheetu. ... That's ... fine, for an heir. Keep him close by, dear. Wouldn't want the Hyenas to get to him." Deviously smiling, he turned his back to leave. Sarafina called for him to halt before he completely exited the cave.

"I hear Zira is soon expecting as well, with your cub."

Scar snorted and rolled his eyes. "And why is that your business? Who knows ... her cub may give little Mheetu here a run for his money in becoming my successor. OH, and by the way –" he playfully tapped a claw on his chin and pretended to think for a moment. "You didn't by any chance tell _Nala _about this, have you?"

" ... No, Scar. She's completely clueless as to who Mheetu's father is. However ... he does have your eyes."

A light in Scar's own eyes gleamed and he turned to face Sarafina once more with a new found ego. "My eyes, you say? Well then, he definitely shall be a tough competitor. Let us wait and see. Good evening, **dear**." And with that, the King scampered off towards the promontory to gaze about his dying Kingdom.

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"Nala can never know who your father is, my son ... and I refuse to let you become his heir. Never."

With those words said, she finally fell asleep as the day dragged on. Mheetu would be Sarafina's last child beared, and the last to bear such a fate that life had in store for him.


	3. Protection

_The hunter corners his pray ... slowly, he approaches it with dripping fangs and sharp claws ... and then...!_

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"YEEOW!"

Nala grabbed the tip of her tail and cradled it dearly in her paws, glaring at the creature who attacked her with rage.

"Mheetu, what did I tell you about using my tail as practice? You know, that really hurts ..." Leaving no time at all for the cub to answer, she dropped her tail and swiped up the male to her chest. Menacingly, she nipped at his tail.

"Ow, ow! Sis', I'm sorry! I won't do it again! AHAHA! STOP!"

Snorting, she let the cub that was her brother back on the ground and smoothed out the tuft of fur atop his head after placing a paw on him. He'd grown into a bouncy, yet mischievous cub – much to Nala's dismay. He was always around where she was, excluding hunts. It'd take an army of Hyenas to keep that one in his place. Yet, he was handsome, and his innocent and endearing visage often got him out of the trouble he caused. His adoring emerald eyes and signature beard-esque fur wooed the lionesses of the pride; far more than what Nuka, also the son of Scar and of Zira, could obtain.

Mheetu purred as his fur was rummaged with, closing in the distance between him and Nala by curling up into her belly. She smiled softly ... even if he _was_ a bit of an annoyance and a troublemaker, he was still a sweetheart. If anything, he reminded her most of Simba.

"So what're you doing today, Mheetu? And leave my tail out of the many possibilities, please," the lioness chuckled as she poked the cub gently on the nose with the tip of an unsheathed claw.

"Oh nothing. Probably just stick around here with you, Nala."

_Joy._

"I'd rather you stay here anyway, Mheetu. The Pridelands are no place for you to go in these conditions. You should wait until the rains come again ..." she halted and sighed, before whispering the completion of her statement. "If they ever do."

"I know, I know. Sheesh, Nala." The male cub sighed and rolled his eyes before taking a place beside Nala in the cave and sprawling out with no care in the world. He looked around the cave and just stared with indifference. His mother and sister always talked about the way the Pridelands were prior to his birth. _Lush green fields, food as far as the eye can see, love in every stitch of the Serengeti. _

Yet, he was witness to not this paradise the elders spoke about, but a gloomy cave with two sets of lionesses at war with one another. He was born where Hyenas were placed on a higher pedestal than lions, and where night and day were no different; it was always dark and depressing.

He let out a small growl out of irritation, before he was distracted by a whisper from the cave entry.

"Psst! Nala, you there?"

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Confused as to who would call her from secrecy, Nala tilted her head upright and saw a familiar face – one she and Simba had long seen before, and was a friend among many of Nala's pridesisters; including Mheetu, himself.

"Bhati--"

Nala's exclamation would cease shortly as Mheetu tackled her head into the floor, clamping her muzzle shut with his own paws.

"Quiet, sis! The Hyenas'll eat her for sure if you blow her cover like that ..." the young cub whispered carefully into the ear of the pinned lioness. With her strength regained from being startled, Nala pushed off the cub and glared at him with disdain. Cupping his chin with her paw, she softly whispered in his ear as well.

"You ever pin me like that again, and I'll pulverize you. Do you comprehend that?"

Gulping softly, he nodded. "Yes, Nala."

"Good," she smirked, before turning her attention towards the bat-eared fox that lingered behind a random boulder within the cave now. "Bhati, come out, old-friend. The pride is out on the hunt."

Quickly, and slyly, the fox came forth from her shadows and hopped behind Mheetu's body; although she was far taller than what she used to be when Nala and she were mere young ones. Mheetu bared no protection from the Hyenas that were lingering about, and giggled at her attempt.

"Bhati! It's good to see ya'!"

"Vice versa, Mheetu. You're growing to be so handsome; did anyone ever tell you that?"

"Oh you know, here and there." The cub gestured the directions with his paws and laughed, before Nala cleared her throat to interrupt the two.

"My apologies, Nala. How have you been?"

"Survivng, Bhati. If you don't mind me asking, how did you get by all those mangy Hyenas, anyway? Not to contradict your _excellent and keen _secrecy skills."

Bhati frowned slightly as she swiped Nala's face with her tail in attempts to stop her mockery. The two couldn't contain themselves and burst out in to a fit of laughter, with Mheetu right at heel. He certainly didn't know what the two females were cackling about, but to see them laugh made him as well.

The fox wiped her eye before diverting her attention back towards the entrance of the cave. There stood Kula, beaming in all her glory for a reason Nala and Mheetu were unaware of.

"If it weren't for Kula, I'd probably be a snack right now."

The lioness who bared resemblance closely of that to Sarabi, inched her way in; bowing her head to an imaginary audience in recognition of her "astounding tactics of sneaking someone in to the cave."

"Thank you, thank you, you're all far too kind."

Mheetu was in stitches afterwards. Did he love Kula – she was always one to make him laugh. And it seemed he had developed a sort of childish infatuation over the lioness in the time he knew her.

"Kula, you devil you! Scar could have your head for this!" Nala snickered as she and Kula exchanged devious glances along with Bhati. It seemed that the trio never truly matured.

"I know, but I ran in to Bhati while I was out with the pride. I raced back here so she could tell you the news herself!"

Confused yet again, Nala quirked a brow and stared at Bhati. "News? What news?"

"I saw them, out on the border of the Pridelands."

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"... Saw **who**, Bhati?"

"Chumvi and Tojo! They're alive and well, and ask of you and Kula." She grinned. Bhati felt so warm inside to deliver the other lioness the delightful news that her friends were okay.

"Don't toy with me, Bhati! Are they really alive?"

"Yes, yes, yes! And I'll lead you and Kula over there right now to see them."

Kula suddenly dropped to the floor and held Nala's paw in her own.

"PLEASE, Nala! I would give _anything _to see Chumvi and ... Tojo, again!" Her cheeks were warm at the mentioning of Simba's cousin. "But I don't have anything to give, so that's why I'm asking you get off your lazy hind and come with me and Bhati to see them! Pleaaaase, Nala?"

Mheetu snickered at Kula. "Hey, she's graveling!"

"Mheetu, shh," the cub's sister silenced him before agreeing to both the fox and lioness that she would accompany them to see how their childhood friends and pridemates were doing on their own since the banishment. But that left the lioness with one thing to worry about.

Turning her head back to face her brother, Nala stared in silence.

The cub was turned backwards with his head between his hind-legs. He gave Nala a sheepish little grin, before flipping on to his back accidentally. _Real smooth, Mheetu_, the cub thought as he lay facing his sister's face directly from the floor. Cowardly, he twiddled his claws.

Nala simply sighed.

"Mheetu, I'm going to ask a very big favor of you, okay?"

"Uh, alright, sis. What is it?"

She was a bit apprehensive about her favor, but had already made the decision to go through with it.

"I'm going to need you to stay here by yourself for a little bit. And please, Mheetu – don't give me a reason to not trust you. Just stay here and don't make a sound. I'll be back before you can say ..." she thought. "Hippopotamus."

"Hip- ... hoppo ... hipopotatamus ..." The poor cub strained to say the word.

"As I said. I'll be back as soon as you can say it. Just **don't leave the cave**, Mheetu. Do you understand?"

"Clear as rain, sis'! And if mom comes back before you do, I'll cover!" He gave off an encouraging wink and fixed himself so he'd be sitting facing the females. Nala smiled and turned back to her two friends who were eagerly ready to set trail.

"Alright, it's settled then. Lets go."

Each giving the male words of departure, both lionesses and the fox were gone.

Mheetu sat in the darkness, blowing raspberries at the females who were far from Pride Rock given their speed. But his taunting would be cut short as a trio of insane laughter filled the cave.

"Hey, boss. They left the little squirt here alone," said one of the canines.

"Oh, a cub-sandwich!" said another.

"Hoo-hah ... hahaha!" the last managed to let out.

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"There will be no eating here, my friends." The slender frame of the King slinked on in the cave followed by his three henchmen of Hyenas, closing in on the cub.

Mheetu looked as if he were a deer in headlights – paralyzed with complete fear.

"Ah, Mheetu ... why are you here alone?"

"M-mom is out hunting."

The tiny cub looked behind the towering lion for a quick moment, and gasped at the ravenous and violent canines that were behind him. They were Mheetu's problem, not so much Scar.

"I see, but dear lad, I could have _sworn _by the stars that your sister was supposed to be _protecting_ you?"

"She was watching me, sir. She just went to ... go."

Scar paused and arched a brow. "Go?"

Mheetu pushed on with his cover. "Yeah, you know ... go?"

Scar shook his head as he had gotten exactly what his son had said. His son ... he'd often forget that he had any offspring after the disappointment with Nuka. He had high hopes for Mheetu, but Sarafina made it difficult from day one for Scar to influence the cub in to becoming his heir. As he glared at Mheetu beside his paws, he couldn't help to deviously smirk inside ... he did bare a resemblance to him most definitely.

"I see ... I'll be leaving you then, lad." The King turned to exit but not before whispering in the ear of the one they called Shenzi. "Make sure he never gets left alone again."

With that, Scar was gone ... yet the three Hyenas remained.

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"W-what are you still doing here?" Mheetu asked with great fear, as he backed farther and father away from the three hyenas, until he completely backed himself into the back-wall.

"Oh, don't worry ... we're just here to make sure your precious little sister doesn't leave you hanging like this anymore ..."

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Minutes later, the three Hyenas came rushing out of the cave with full speed; one bearing claw-marks across their nose. Shenzi stopped at the entrance quickly to get Scar's attention who was sitting atop the promontory. Nodding to signify that the job was done, she scrambled off Priderock and into the Hyena-crowding below.

Inside the cave, Mheetu had his head buried in his paws, whimpering. Several bite marks and slashes lied across his entire body; areas still blessed with fresh blood.

Scar could hear the whimpering inside as he departed the promontory and bypassed the cave. Halting, he whispered to himself.

"If she will not allow you to be my heir, then I will not allow her to keep you as a son."

He then continued his descent down towards the lionesses who were now coming back from their hunt.

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Mheetu was left crying in the dark.

"H-H-Hippo..potamus ... "

Yet Nala was not back home.


End file.
